Systems and methods for operating a vehicle on a roadway

Abstract

A host vehicle can detect two or more markers positioned on respective locations of a surrounding vehicle. The two or more markers can include data corresponding to the respective locations of each of the two or more markers. The host vehicle can determine the location of the two or more markers based on the data. Based on the location of the two or more markers, the host vehicle can determine the orientation of the surrounding vehicle. The host vehicle can determine a path to follow based on the determined orientation of the surrounding vehicle. The host vehicle can then follow the determined path.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for operating a host vehicle on a roadway, the system comprising:
 a camera positioned to capture an image of an external environment of the host vehicle; 
 one or more processors communicably coupled to the camera; 
 a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors and storing: 
 a marker location determination module including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to detect, using the image captured by the camera, a first marker and at least a second marker positioned on one or more surfaces of a vehicle surrounding the host vehicle, and determine at least a location of the first and second markers on the surrounding vehicle based on data encoded in each of the markers; 
 an orientation determination module including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to determine an orientation of the surrounding vehicle based on the location of the first and second markers; and 
 an autonomous driving module including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to determine a path for the host vehicle based on the orientation of the surrounding vehicle, and to control the host vehicle to follow the determined path by sending one or more control signals to one or more vehicle components to cause the host vehicle to travel along the determined path. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second markers are non-visible markers, and wherein the camera is a hyperspectral camera configured to detect the non-visible first and second markers. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a communications system configured to receive second data generated by the surrounding vehicle that is associated with at least one of the first and second markers; and wherein the memory further stores
 a feature determination module including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to receive, via the communications system, the second data generated by the surrounding vehicle, the data indicating a feature related to an area of the surrounding vehicle located proximate the at least one of the first and second markers, and determine, based on the second data, the feature corresponding to the area of the surrounding vehicle located proximate to the at least one of the first and second markers. 
 
 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the autonomous driving module further includes instructions that cause the one or more processors to monitor a likelihood of a collision with the surrounding vehicle based on the orientation of the surrounding vehicle with respect to the determined path, and, responsive to determining a likely collision with the surrounding vehicle, determine a collision path for the host vehicle based on the orientation of the surrounding vehicle determined by the orientation determination module and the feature for the surrounding vehicle determined by the feature determination module. 
     
     
       5. A method of operating a host vehicle according to an orientation of a surrounding vehicle, the method comprising:
 detecting, via a camera on the host vehicle, a first marker positioned on a surface of the surrounding vehicle, the first marker including data corresponding to a location of the first marker on the surrounding vehicle; 
 determining the location of the first marker on the surrounding vehicle based on the data; 
 detecting, via the camera, a second marker positioned on another surface of the surrounding vehicle, the second marker including second data corresponding to a location of the second marker on the surrounding vehicle; 
 determining the location of the second marker on the surrounding vehicle based on the second data; 
 determining an orientation of the surrounding vehicle based on the locations of the first and second markers; 
 determining a path for the host vehicle based on the orientation of the surrounding vehicle; and 
 causing the host vehicle to follow the determined path. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 receiving third data associated with the first marker from the surrounding vehicle, the third data representative of one or more features related to an area of the surrounding vehicle proximate the location of the first marker; and 
 determining a likelihood of collision with the surrounding vehicle. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the third data is representative of one or more features including a fuel level of the surrounding vehicle, and wherein the determined path is a collision path based at least in part on the fuel level of the surrounding vehicle. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the received data is representative of one or more features including an occupant presence in the area of the surrounding vehicle proximate the location the first marker, and wherein the determined path is a collision path based at least in part on the occupant presence in the area of the surrounding vehicle proximate the location of the first marker. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the occupant presence includes a vulnerability assessment for any occupants present in the area of the surrounding vehicle proximate the location of the first marker, and wherein the collision path is further based at least in part on the vulnerability assessment. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the third data is representative of one or more features including a hazardous cargo assessment for the area of the surrounding vehicle proximate the location of the first marker, the hazardous cargo assessment being based on any cargo present in the area of the surrounding vehicle proximate the location of the first marker, and wherein the determined path is a collision path based at least in part on the hazardous cargo assessment for the area of the surrounding vehicle proximate the location of the first marker. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 determining a location of the surrounding vehicle relative to the host vehicle, and wherein determining the path for the host vehicle is further based on the determined location of the surrounding vehicle.